April 3, 2019

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 03.04.2019, 13:42

ROMANIA-MONTENEGRO – Romania’s Prime Minister Viorica
Dancila hailed progress reported by Montenegro in the negotiation process with
the EU at the end of a meeting she had in Bucharest with her Montenegrin
counterpart, Dusko Markovic. Dancila reiterated Bucharest’s commitment to
continue to support the EU enlargement process based on individual merit. The
agenda for talks included defense cooperation at NATO level, energy security in
the region and agriculture. The Romanian Prime Minister said a
Romania-Montenegro business forum will be held later this year. In turn, Prime
Minister Dusko Markovic said Romania is not just a friend, but a partner for
Montenegro, able to help based on its experience as EU member. Also today, Dusko Markovic will meet President
Klaus Iohannis.

JUDICIARY -
The College of EU Commissioners is today discussing the rule of law in Romania.
The Commission has repeatedly expressed concern over the latest developments
tied to the rule of law in Romania. The Commission believes both the content
and the procedures used to operate recent changes in the field, by using
emergency decrees and without consulting stakeholders, go against the
recommendations issued under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, which
has been monitoring Romania’s progress in reforming its judiciary and combating
corruption since its EU accession in 2007.

NATO
– Romania’s Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu on Wednesday and Thursday is
taking part in the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting held in Washington. The event
is symbolic, marking 70 years since NATO was founded. A joint Declaration will
be adopted at the end of the meeting. The North-Atlantic Treaty was signed in
Washington on April 4, 1949 by the United States, Canada and 10 European
states. NATO currently comprises 29 states from Europe and North America.
Romania joined NATO in 2004.

CONFERENCE -
Romanian Minister for Tourism, Bogdan Gheorghe Trif is in Bucharest today
attending the conference titled Sustainable Tourism – Common Policies of EU
Member States, organized on the sidelines of the Romanian Presidency of the
Council of the EU. Attending are experts from European institutions and travel
specialists from EU member states. The Romanian Presidency’s priorities in the
field are digitizing the sector, collaborative economy (sharing physical and
human resources) and the sustainable development of tourism at EU level.

INVESTIGATION -
The Social-Democratic Party’s treasurer, Mircea Draghici, has challenged the
decree whereby the National Anticorruption Directorate is investigating him in
a case linked to spending subsidized party funds, claiming the case lacks any
legal basis. Prosecutors say Draghici was tasked with managing the party’s
assets and funds and had allegedly pocketed 380 thousand euros pursuant to
signing a real estate rental contract. The subsidized money was given to
Draghici to cover the partial payment accounting for two thirds of a
building.

FUNDS -
The European Investment Fund (EIF) today signed four financing agreements with
Romania, whereby granting Bucharest over 170 million euros for the development
of SMEs as well as to be able to provide loans for students who want to further
their studies abroad. Some 450 students will benefit from advantageous loans to
study in another EU country, such as Iceland, Lichtenstein, North Macedonia,
Norway and Turkey. Under the new agreements, a total of 3,000 SMEs will benefit
from improved terms for financing. EIF is part of the Group of the European
Investment Bank, its main mission being to support European SMEs by
facilitating their access to financing.

MOTION -
The simple motion filed by the Liberal Party and the People’s Movement Party in
opposition against Transport Minister Razvan Cuc was today debated and rejected
by the Chamber of Deputies. The two parties called on Minister Cuc to step
down, saying that the ruling coalition has pledged to build 350 kilometers of
motorway by 2020, of which only 58 kilometers have been completed in the year
and three months that have since passed. The two parties also said that in
spite of the EU funds specially allotted for large infrastructure projects,
only four financing requests have been submitted in nearly five years. The
opposition also claimed the situation spells disaster in terms of rail
infrastructure, while the national airliner Tarom is on the verge of
bankruptcy.

TENNIS -
Romanian tennis player Mihaela Buzarnescu (30 WTA) is today playing Lauren
Davis of the United States (184 WTA) in the second round of the WTA tournament
in Charleston, South Carolina, totaling 800,000 dollars in prize money. This
will be the first direct match between the two players. Buzarnescu previously
ousted Poland’s Magdalena Frech (182 WTA) in the first round at Charleston.
(translated by V. Palcu)